- RECOMMENDATIONS FOR:
- COMPANIES
- CONSUMERS
- GOVERNMENTS
WHAT CAN COMPANIES DO?
All companies that use soy have a responsibility and a role to play in helping to reduce the
negative environmental and social impacts of its production.
BY 2020 AT THE VERY LATEST, WWF ASKS COMPANIES
TO MAKE SURE THEIR SOY SUPPLY CHAINS:
Are 100% free from deforestation and conversion of natural habitatsCome from environmentally and socially responsible soy productionProtect high conservation values (as defined by HCV Resource Network)Are fully certified by a credible, transparent, multi-stakeholder scheme for environmentally and socially responsible soy production, such as the Round Table on Responsible Soy (RTRS) or ProTerra.These asks apply to both soy used for direct human consumption and soy embedded as animal feed.
TO IMPLEMENT THESE COMMITMENTS, COMPANIES
NEED TO DEVELOP TRANSPARENT TIMEBOUND PLANS,
INCLUDING ACTIONS SUCH AS:
Calculating and publishing soy use, both direct and embedded Mapping soy supply chains and the environmental risk related to them Defining ambitious and concrete steps to purchase RTRS- or ProTerra-certified soy, or animal products based on RTRS- or ProTerra-certified soy Starting to buy credibly certified soy as soon as possible – buying RTRS credits is a good first step Asking suppliers and peers to take similar steps Joining or initiating national initiatives on responsible soy to create momentum in the market Supporting programmes to help producers implement better management practices and achieve certification For non-genetically-modified (GM) soy, choosing and supporting development of RTRS non-GM or ProTerra production and supply chains (when buying ProTerra-certified soy, ask for improvement of governance and verification) Exploring ways of reducing food waste and reducing consumption of animal products Exploring responsibly produced and locally grown alternatives to imported soy. In addition to these individual commitments, companies should actively engage in industry initiatives that are seriously and urgently working to transform the soy sector. These include the:
Amazon Soy Moratorium New York Declaration on Forests Consumer Goods Forum resolution on zero net deforestation. TO IMPLEMENT THESE, COMPANIES SHOULD:
Work with these initiatives and other stakeholders to expand commitments to eliminating deforestation and conversion of South American savannahs such as the Chaco and the Cerrado, as well as Northern American prairies (natural grasslands) Commit to exclusively buy from traders/companies that can demonstrate they are implementing their commitments on zero deforestation and zero conversion of other natural habitats Influence national and international policies to enable and support private commitments on zero deforestation and zero conversion of other natural habitats. END USERS SHOULD:
Individually ask their direct suppliers to source responsibly Collectively demand that traders set up systems on the ground to exclude deforestation/conversion from their entire supply chains. WHAT CAN CONSUMERS DO?
It’s vital that consumers voice their concerns and push companies to move forward. You can
help save some of the world’s most vital forests and ecosystems, and the people and species
that depend on them.
CONSUMERS SHOULD:
Ask retailers and brands to commit to responsibly produced, deforestation- and conversion-free soy throughout their supply chains Choose animal products from companies that have committed to and started buying RTRS-certified soy If you’re concerned about GM soy, ask your retailer about RTRS-certified non-GM soy or ProTerra Consider reducing your consumption of meat, eggs and dairy products in favour of vegetable proteins – for many people, this will result in a diet closer to health recommendations Reduce food waste by planning your shopping and meals carefully – only buy and prepare as much as you need. 
WHAT CAN GOVERNMENTS DO?
Governments have an important role to play in halting deforestation and conversion of natural
habitats, both in producer countries and in consumer countries.
WHAT SHOULD GOVERNMENTS IN PRODUCER COUNTRIES DO?
Set a strong legislative and policy framework that halts deforestation and conversion of natural habitats before 2020, while ensuring the proper implementation of existing and future laws Adhere to the OECD agriculture guidance Be an active advocate globally for deforestation-free and conversion-free commodities, as one element to implement the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the Sustainable Development Goals Sign and implement the New York Declaration on Forests within its given timeframe Support public-private partnerships aiming to halt conversion of natural ecosystems to soy production Apply integrated land-use planning, especially for agriculture commodities such as soy. WHAT SHOULD GOVERNMENTS IN CONSUMER COUNTRIES DO?
Develop and implement effective legislative and policy frameworks ensuring that only responsible, deforestation- and conversion-free soy is entering their markets by 2020 at the latest Review policies, subsidies and overseas development aid to promote conversion-free soy and remove harmful incentives that may promote irresponsible or even illegal soy In public procurement policies, include criteria that exclude all soy coming from conversion in meat, dairy, fish and other products that contain (embedded) soy Sign and implement the New York Declaration on Forests within its given timeframe Advocate globally and in international fora for deforestation- and conversion-free commodities and responsible markets, as one element to implement the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the Sustainable Development Goals. EU countries specifically should:
Support the development of measures to halt deforestation and forest degradation, such as the EU Action Plan on Deforestation and Forest Degradation, and to address the EU’s impact beyond its borders Sign and implement the Amsterdam Declaration "Towards Eliminating Deforestation from Agricultural Commodity Chains with European Countries". 
Tools and initiatives
for companies that buy soy
find out here
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